Floor-cleaning appliance

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an improved cleaning appliance used to clean floors, walls or the like, with a cardanic or semi-cardanic fastening of the handle to the basic body portion or the cleaning device which does the actual cleaning, scrubbing, wiping or other cleaning function. The invention permits the particular appliance and the handle, semi-cardanically attached thereto, to be fixed in a substantially upright position permitting it to be leaned against a fixed object and thus making the handle accessible to the user without the user or operator having to bend over to pick up the appliance. A setting-up stirrup is articulatably attached on the cleaning device and is caused to articulate by an operator thereby engaging behind a projection, screw or peg on the handle or for catching in a horizontal groove of this handle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a floor-cleaning appliance or the like with acardanic or semi-cardanic fastening of the handle to the actualcleaning, scrubbing, wiping or other device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern floor-cleaning appliances, to which cloths, fringes, textilecoverings or the like are attached for the actual wiping operation,usually have a cardanic or semi-cardanic suspension of their handle forthe purpose of more versatile use.

This affords considerable advantages in versatility, but has thedisadvantage that under no circumstances does the handle stand up byitself and further cannot even be merely leaned against something. Itsimply falls over and to the ground.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object on which the invention is based is to avoid the problemsmentioned above and also for other reasons. The invention permits theparticular appliance and the handle attached thereto to be fixed in asubstantially upright position permitting it to be leaned against afixed object and thus making the handle accessible to the user withoutthe user or operator having to bend over to pick up the appliance.

This object is achieved in a surprisingly simple way by means of asetting-up stirrup articulated on the cleaning device and intended forengaging behind a projection, screw or peg on the handle or for catchingin a horizontal groove of this handle.

The operator therefore no longer needs to bend down to the handle lyingon the floor in order to recover the cleaning appliance. Also, there isno need for separate devices to hold the cleaning appliance, i.e.,holding constructions provided outside the cleaning appliance. It issufficient to actuate the setting-up stirrup articulated, for example,on the baseplate of the cleaning appliance, in such a way that itengages behind a projection, screw, peg or the like on the handlefastening and the handle then comes to bear against the holding stirrup.The handle stands essentially freely in space, even though its foot isnevertheless articulated on the cleaning appliance cardanically, that isto say movably for substantially any conceivable degree of freedom.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is also possible, ifappropriate even without changing the shape, that the half-lug of thesetting-up stirrup, which can be articulated at the same location of thebaseplate of the cleaning appliance, simply falls into a horizontalgroove of the handle, is pushed in or catches in the latter. The groovecan also be designed as a slot or the like. In general, however, thegroove will be continuous.

Preferably, the setting-up stirrup can have a tread on the side remotefrom the handle. This tread can have a formed-on plastic mass or,according to another embodiment, can simply consist of wire ends bentback against themselves. With regard to the joints, the half-lug part ofthe setting-up stirrup is arranged on one side and the tread on theother side of these joints. When the operator steps on the tread, thestirrup rises automatically, and therefore the operator does not need tobend down in order to operate it.

The half-lug part of the setting-up stirrup is expediently oradvantageously bent to the rear, i.e., downward toward the base to forma support. This makes it easier for it to engage against projections ofthe handle or holder.

Preferably, in the longitudinal region of the setting-up stirrup, thestirrup wires are, if the bent part is supported on the base, shaped orbent in such a way that they come to rest along this base.

As a result of the particular embodiment wherein the bent part is sosupported on the base and the stirrup wires rest along the base, theversatility of use of the cleaning appliance is enhanced, since it canthus also wipe under a cupboard or the like, even when a setting-upstirrup is present. In this version of the invention, similarly to theother versions, the setting-up operation is carried out using the tread.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be explained in moredetail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows an elevation view,

FIG. 2 shows a top view of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3a shows one version of the extension of the stirrup and thematerial of the tread part,

FIG. 3b shows a special construction with a holding-down device for thesetting-up stirrup, and

FIG. 4 shows one version of the tread part.

Like parts are designated by the same reference symbols in the figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 how a handle with a groove N andhandle fastening St is suspended cardanically on the cardan joint K.This handle would therefore fall over in any position.

The cleaning appliance is known per se and consists of a basic body R, acontinuous stirrup B and a catch spring F, the function of which is tokeep the parts B and R interlocked in the extended position after theyhave been swung into the extended position, whilst, by pressing on thecatch spring F, the cleaning appliance can be released again from thetextile covering surrounding it.

The setting-up stirrup 10 according to the invention has, in its basicform, the shape of an elongate rectangle with longitudinal stirrup sides12, a transverse side with a half-lug 14 and the articulation 20 and,opposite thereto, a tread 18 on the side 16 of the setting-up stirruplocated opposite the half-lug. FIG. 1 shows the setting-up stirrup inthe set-up position (the foot has actuated the tread 18, caught orinserted in a groove N of the handle). When the setting-up stirrupconstruction 10 has done its job, it falls back out of its high position(in broken lines in FIG. 1) when the operator grasps the handle.

The half-lug 14 is angled relative to the plane formed by baseplate R.

According to FIG. 3a, in this version, the longitudinal part of thesetting-up stirrup 12' is designed to rest flat on the baseplate, withthe result that it becomes easier, for example, to wipe under a cupboardwith a broom handle. The tread 18' and the bend of the half-lug aresimilar to the embodiment described hitherto. According to FIG. 4, thetread is designed in such a way that the stirrup ends 22 are bent backagainst themselves. Other forms are possible. This form does without aplastic part. If necessary, the ends can also be looped relative to oneanother. The tread is once again angled relative to the plane formed bybaseplate R.

As a development of the invention for a special purpose, for example forthe overhead wiping or cleaning of, for example, ceilings, there isprovided a measure which prevents the setting-up stirrup 10 from fallingdownwards and from restricting the freedom of movement.

To achieve this additional object, it is proposed, according to theinvention, to press the stirrup part or half-lug part 14 permanentlyagainst the plate R. This can take place in that, for example in FIG. 1,a spring 32, for example made of plastic, is injection-molded onto thetread part. A spring made of steel can be molded on or into the trendpart in a similar way. The spring is angled, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2,or rounded, as seen in FIGS. 3a and 3b in the part loosely touching theplate, that is to say consists of two legs, namely the leg parallel tothe tread, tread spring leg 30 and the base spring leg 34 which isparallel to the horizontal plate R (FIG. 3b).

Another useful advantage of the invention is that it is possible toeasily refit many currently available cleaning appliances to accommodatethe feature of the invention without the need to make substantialchanges to the plate portion. Existing holes in the plate portion of theappliance may be useful in attaching the setting-up stirrup by hinges20. The means used for mounting the invention to already availableappliances may be made of metal or plastic.

I claim:
 1. In an improved cleaning appliance having a handle, means toattach said handle to a basic body portion, said basic body portionaccommodates attaching thereto of materials used for cleaning, scrubbingand wiping, the improvement comprising:said means to attach said handleto said basic body portion being a cardanic connection; means forarticulatably mounting and appropriately positioning a setting-upstirrup, said setting-up stirrup mounted on said basic body portion; andmeans for releasably engaging said mounted setting-up stirrup to saidhandle when said handle is substantially vertically directed relative tosaid basic body portion.
 2. The improved cleaning appliance according toclaim 1 further comprising means for articulating of said setting-upstirrup causing said releasable engagement of said handle with saidsetting-up stirrup and holding said handle substantially verticallydirected.
 3. The improved cleaning appliance according to claim 2wherein said means for articulating of said setting-up stirrup comprisesa tread on one side of said means for articulatably mounting andappropriately positioning said setting-up stirrup on said basic bodyportion, said one side being opposite from said means for releasablyengaging said handle to said setting-up stirrup.
 4. The improvedcleaning appliance according to claim 3 wherein said means forreleasably engaging said articulatably mounted and appropriatelypositioned setting-up stirrup to said handle comprises a half-lug forreceiving said handle.
 5. The improved cleaning appliance according toclaim 4 wherein said half-lug of the setting-up stirrup is angled toprovide a support for said handle when said handle is placedsubstantially horizontal relative to said basic body portion and engagedwith said half-lug.
 6. The improved cleaning appliance according toclaim 5 wherein said setting-up stirrup further comprises twolongitudinal stirrup sides contiguous with said half-lug and said meansfor articulating of said setting-up stirrup, and further comprising atleast one spring element configured to urge each said two longitudinalstirrup sides against said basic body portion.
 7. The improved cleaningappliance according to claim 6 wherein said setting-up stirrup havingsaid two longitudinal stirrup sides, said half-lug and said means forarticulating of said setting-up stirrup, each comprises stirrup wiresand said means for articulating of said setting-up stirrup comprises atleast one substantially round-shaped hook formed from at least onestirrup wire end at said one side opposite from said means forreleasably engaging.
 8. The improved cleaning appliance according toclaim 3 further comprising at least one spring element configured tourge said tread away from said basic body portion.
 9. The improvedcleaning appliance according to claim 3 wherein said tread carries aplastic mass formed on said tread providing thereby a surface upon whichan operator applies foot pressure causing said setting-up stirrup toengage said handle.
 10. The improved cleaning appliance according toclaim 9 further comprising at least one spring element configured tourge said tread away from said basic body portion, said at least onespring element formed contiguous with said plastic mass.
 11. Theimproved cleaning appliance according to claim 1 wherein said means forreleasably engaging said articulatably mounted and appropriatelypositioned setting-up stirrup to said handle comprises a half-lug forreceiving said handle.